Emmett lured the King Bear into the forest and then pushed it off a cliff.
Breathing heavily, Emmett, who had managed to climb back up on his own, collapsed to his knees as he landed on the ground.
“Are you alright?”
“Hah, good, my side. The bleeding won’t stop.”
Emmett laid himself down on his back. Cecilia quickly applied pressure to the wound to treat it.
“Ha, hahaha, hah. I’m being ridiculous. Will they make a statue of me now? As a hero who saved the village.”
A dry laugh echoed through the dark, dense forest. The village guards who had followed him back into the forest to call for help had left.
“Quiet, you’ll bleed more if you talk. I can’t close the wound with my magic. We have to get you back to the village quickly.”
We placed him on Philiana’s back. Still, it was an incredible feat to defeat that great bear alone. Even if they fell entangled, it wasn’t something just anyone could do.
“But now you really are a hero. Weren’t you scared?”
“Hah, I’m no hero. It’s true, I’ve been big since I was young, standing out from everyone else. I had strength too, and was pretty high up among the warriors. It didn’t matter if my opponent used a club or a sword, I could end it with just one kick.”
That must have been true. He was surely expected to do great things from a young age.
“My legs are meant for tearing through the guts of my enemies. Frightening, aren’t they? The single claw on my thumb is there to rip the throats of my opponents. As I grew, others began to distance themselves from me. They looked at me not as a comrade, but as a monster.”
“And one day, my mother looked at me and said, ‘You resemble your father.’ Do you understand what that means?”
Even without knowing the full story, everyone seemed to sense the atmosphere and fell silent. It was an indescribable pain; the power that made him strong was also tormenting him. He must have been thinking, “I don’t need this kind of strength, I wish I had been born looking like everyone else.” I remembered the village chief’s words. In times of war, the most pitiable were the mixed-bloods.
They were called the children of traitors by one side, and flawed beings by the other. In reality, they should have been the crystallization of the love between both sides, a symbol of peace.
In the heavy silence, Veronica broke the ice.
“You’re not like your father. True strength lies in controlling the power you possess.”
“It’s somewhat comforting to hear you say that. Good…”
This is bad, the bleeding won’t stop. If it reached my internal organs, I might not be able to handle it here. Philiana, with Emmett on her back, turned to check on him.
“Hold on, you’ll be there soon.”
“Hey, Emmett! We found them!”
A voice came from above in the trees, and then our other companions appeared, having come to search for us. They were easily leaping from tree to tree. As we returned to the village, the villagers who had been engaged in repair work all rushed towards us at once.
“Welcome back.”
“What happened to the bear?”
The village chief approached, pushing through the clamoring crowd.
“Emmett, you look terrible. Was it the bear? You need immediate treatment.”
“It’s nothing serious. The bear fell off a cliff. It’s probably not dead.”
Our companions helped him down from Philiana’s back. Just then, Noah and his squad arrived. They exclaimed in a cheer when they saw Emmett. “He defeated the bear!” they celebrated enthusiastically. For them, who normally didn’t engage in combat, facing a bear must have seemed like something out of a storybook.
To have it happen right before their eyes was incredibly exciting. However, they didn’t seem to realize the danger they themselves might have been in.
“Amazing, thank you! Oh no, you’re injured! You need urgent treatment.”
“N-no, it’s quite alright. I don’t need your help.”
Before he could finish speaking, Noah and his squad carried him away. As the residents celebrated the village’s safety, the village chief approached, bowing his head.
“I must also thank you, my friend. Thanks to you, the village is saved. I’m sorry for involving you in such a battle.”
“Not at all, we’re used to it.”
“You’re as reliable as ever. The village is a bit ruined, but don’t worry, let’s have a celebration. Hey, somebody bring out some sake!”
To call for sake so loudly like that.
“Whoa, you know what, master. Heh heh heh.”
“Where have you been until now? You haven’t been stealing, have you?”
Karubene suddenly appeared, having disappeared without a trace earlier. Glaring at Cecilia, he shook his head and denied it.
“That’s so mean! I was rounding up livestock that had scattered. Those bears, they destroyed the chicken coop! And because they were so threatening, the horses and pigs got startled, it was a real mess.”
If what she said was true, she had actually been helping the villagers. Sometimes Karubene was active in ways we didn’t know about.
“So, with that said, I’m off!”
“Wait! Hey, everyone, don’t give that Satyr alcohol!”
Cecilia chased after Karubene, who fled at incredible speed. With this, the fog of illness would clear, and they would be able to return to their normal lives.
